Government designates 9 Khalistani separatists as 'terrorists'

The government on Wednesday designated nine elusive Khalistani separatists, including Babbar Khalsa International's Pakistan-based chief Wadhawa Singh Babbar who is wanted in Kanishka bombing case, as "terrorists" under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

These nine persons are "involved in various acts of terrorism" from across the border and from foreign soil and have been relentless in their "nefarious efforts" of destabilizing the country, by "trying to revive militancy" in Punjab through their "anti-national activities and through their support to and involvement" in the Khalistan Movement, an official statement said.

The designation as terrorists came following the government amending the UAPA in August 2019. Till then, only organisations could be designated as terrorist outfits.

Besides Babbar, the others who were designated as terrorists include International Sikh Youth Federation chief Lakhbir Singh, Khalistan Zindabad Force chief Ranjee Singh and Khalistan Commando Force chief Paramjit Singh. All of them are based in Pakistan.

Germany-based "key members" of Khalistan Zindabad Force's Bhupinder Singh Bhinda and Gurmeet Singh Bagga, US-based Sikh for Justice's Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Canada-based Khalistan Tiger Force chief Hardeep Singh and Babbar Khalsa International's UK chief Paramjit Singh have also been designated as terrorist.

In September last year, India had designated Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed, LeT chief commander Zaki-ur-Rahman Lakhvi and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, all based in Pakistan. With this, India has designated 13 persons as terrorists.

According to a gazette notification, Babbar and Paramjit Singh involved in Kanishka bombing in 1985, assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh in 1995, bomb blast in Delhi Liberty and Satyam cinema halls in 2005 and Shingar cinema hall in Ludhiana in 2007.

Lakhbir Singh is accused of sending weapons and explosives from Pakistan to India to carry out terror strikes in Punjab while Ranjeet Singh is involved in at least ten bomb blasts, including on Pooja Express and Sealdah Express trains as well as the murder of Rashtriya Sikh Sangat chief Rulda Singh and Sant Ramanand and Sant Niranjan Das in Austria's Vienna in 2009.

Panjwar and his outfit is found to be involved in several terror incidents, including the killing of Major General B N Kumar, who was Chairman of Bhakra Beas Management Board and 18 students at Thappar Engineering College in Patiala among others.

Bhinda and Bagga, who was earlier arrested in Germany in connection with the conspiracy to target chief of Radhasoami sect and a series of explosions, also find their name in the terrorist-designate list along with Pannun, who is accused of "instigating and abetting" youth to join them in Khalistan Referendum 2020 and providing financial help to youths in the region for creating violence or fear to disturb peace in the region.